rare

DICKENS – OLIVER TWIST

WRITING ABOUT THE PUBLICATION OF OLIVER TWIST IN BENTLEY’S MISCELLANY, FROM HIS EARLY 48 DOUGHY STREET LONDON RESIDENCE, WHERE THE MANUSCRIPT WAS WRITTEN

DICKENS, CHARLES. (1812-1870). English novelist.  Superb early, Autograph Letter Signed, “Charles Dickens”. One full page, quarto. ‘48 Doughty Street, London, January 19, 1838’.  To Thomas Lydely.  

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN PLEDGES HIS STOCK IN THE SAVOY AND CLARIDGE’S HOTELS  —  AS SECURITY FOR A LOAN

SULLIVAN, SIR ARTHUR S.  (1842-1900).  English composer.  Exceedingly-rare, Partly-printed Document Signed twice, “Arthur S. Sullivan”, and “A.S.”, on a stock certificate transferal agreement form.  One full page, quarto.  London, April 6, 1898.

JAMES BOSWELL  ~~  AN EXCESSIVELY RARE LETTER FROM THE SCOTTISH BIOGRAPHER OF DOCTOR JOHNSON

BOSWELL, JAMES.  (1740-1795).  Scottish lawyer and biographer of Samuel Johnson.  Excessively Rare Autograph Letter Signed, “James Boswell”.  Four very full pages, small quarto.  London, March 14, 1792.  Very fine condition.  To “Andrew”, the overseer of Boswell’s estate. 

JAMES WATT ~~ PREPARES TO SIT FOR A MEDAL AND BUST TO BE MADE OF HIM, MARKING HIS ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LAST 80 YEARS  ~~  AND REFERENCES FINISHING ONE OF HIS LAST STEAM ENGINES

WATT, JAMES.  (1736-1819).  Scottish mechanical engineer and inventor.  Rare and fine, Autograph Letter Signed, “James Watt”.  One full page, quarto.  Heathfield, February 19, 1818.  Very fine condition.  To F. L. Chantrey, Esq. 

JOHN STEINBECK  ~~ INSCRIBED ADVANCED PROOF COPY OF:  THE SHORT REIGN OF PIPPIN IV

STEINBECK, JOHN. (1902-1968).  American writer and Nobel laureate, who described in his work the struggle of people who depend on the land for their livelihood;  his most powerful novels, include: Of Mice and Men (1937);  The Grapes of Wrath (1939); and Cannery Row (1945).   Unrevised proofs for Steinbeck’s The Short Reign of Pippin IV.  n.p. (NY), n.p. (Viking Press), n.d. (before March of 1957), first edition thus, spiral-bound blue paper wrappers.

PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT STATES THAT: “IN VIEW OF HIS YOUTH… [AND] OTHER GOOD AND SUFFICIENT REASONS…I DO HEREBY GRANT [HIM] A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON”

GRANT, ULYSSES S. (1822-1885). Eighteenth President of the United States. Uncommon Document Signed, “U.S. Grant”, as President, pardoning John Connors. Countersigned by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. 1 ½ pages, large folio, with integral blank and large impressed U.S. Seal of State paper seal completely intact and in superb condition affixed to the left of Grant’s bold signature.  Washington, D.C.  September 15, 1875.

MARY CASSATT, THE IMPRESSIONIST ARTIST,  DISCUSSES THE GREAT ART COLLECTOR HAVEMEYER  ~~  A PROPOSED PROJECT TO CATALOGUE THE GREAT COLLECTIONS;  HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER PARIS ART DEALER DURAND-RUEL, AND THE REASONS SHE CAN’T SELL HER CORRESPONDENT A PAINTING

CASSATT, MARY.  (1844 –1926). American painter and printmaker who exhibited with the Impressionists; lived much of her adult life in France where she befriended Edgar Degas; Cassatt often created images with a particular emphasis on the intimate bonds between mothers and children.  Good Autograph Letter Signed, Mary Cassatt, on her imprinted black-bordered mourning Mes Nil Beaufresne / Mensil-Theribus (Oise) stationery.   Four very full pages, large octavo.  “Dimanche”, no date, but June, 1912.